A social network usually acts as a support system for its members. It helps members maintain good physical and mental health or prevent physical and mental breakdown. It also reduces the risk of dying prematurely or committing suicide. There are several reasons for this. Our social network of friends, relatives, and coworkers can make us feel good by boosting our self-esteem despite our weaknesses and difficulties. Because they are more objective than we are about our problems, they can open our eyes to solutions that we are too emotionally distressed to see. The companionship from our network, strengthened by our frequent participation in recreational activities, can bring us joy while chasing away loneliness and worries. Finally, our friends and relatives often give us instrumental support—money and other aid—to help us cope with our problems. All these social and psychological factors have an impact on our bodily health. They keep our blood pressure and heart rate at low levels by reducing our brain’s secretion of stress hormones. In contrast, our loved ones place many demands on our time and personal resources. They can irritate us by criticizing us or invading our privacy. This is shown in a study of the social networks of 120 widows. In this study, the women reported that more than two-thirds of the people who made their lives more difficult were their friends and relatives. In fact, these negative experiences may drag down people’s sense of well-being more than the positive social support can raise it up. Negative encounters usually have a stronger impact than positive ones; an argument stands out against a background of pleasant experiences. Thus, an isolated friendly exchange at a wedding that is already filled with strife between in-laws can restore only a little peacefulness. On the other hand, a single heated exchange at an otherwise tranquil wedding can ruin the whole experience. In sum, social networks can have both positive and negative consequences for people’s lives. A conclusion that might be drawn from the passage is that close friends and relatives have more power to comfort or irritate us than strangers. widows have more social support than women whose husbands are still living. weddings are the most stressful of all social situations. most people are too sensitive about negative social experiences.
A social network usually acts as a support system for its members. It helps members maintain good physical and mental health or prevent physical and mental breakdown. It also reduces the risk of dying prematurely or committing suicide. There are several reasons for this. Our social network of friends, relatives, and coworkers can make us feel good by boosting our self-esteem despite our weaknesses and difficulties. Because they are more objective than we are about our problems, they can open our eyes to solutions that we are too emotionally distressed to see. The companionship from our network, strengthened by our frequent participation in recreational activities, can bring us joy while chasing away loneliness and worries. Finally, our friends and relatives often give us instrumental support—money and other aid—to help us cope with our problems. All these social and psychological factors have an impact on our bodily health. They keep our blood pressure and heart rate at low levels by reducing our brain’s secretion of stress hormones.
In contrast, our loved ones place many demands on our time and personal resources. They can irritate us by criticizing us or invading our privacy. This is shown in a study of the social networks of 120 widows. In this study, the women reported that more than two-thirds of the people who made their lives more difficult were their friends and relatives. In fact, these negative experiences may drag down people’s sense of well-being more than the positive social support can raise it up. Negative encounters usually have a stronger impact than positive ones; an argument stands out against a background of pleasant experiences. Thus, an isolated friendly exchange at a wedding that is already filled with strife between in-laws can restore only a little peacefulness. On the other hand, a single heated exchange at an otherwise tranquil wedding can ruin the whole experience. In sum, social networks can have both positive and negative consequences for people’s lives.
A conclusion that might be drawn from the passage is that
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close friends and relatives have more power to comfort or irritate us than strangers.
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widows have more social support than women whose husbands are still living.
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weddings are the most stressful of all social situations.
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most people are too sensitive about negative social experiences.
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